Three Square Meals Ch. 100

Helene's moans turned into excited mewls as she responded, and he eased off again, kissing her gently and exploring her soft lips. When she started to relax, he upped the tempo again and her eyes widened in shock when the tip of his tongue flickered across her partly open mouth before darting back. He repeated it to encourage her to respond, and when she did, he met her tongue with his. John had given her a thorough introduction to French Kissing by the time they parted and Helene's breath was coming in excited pants as she gazed at him in astonishment.

She raised her fingers to her lips, brushing over them as she felt them tingling. "I-I've never..."

"See, I told you he likes you," Alyssa said with a satisfied smile.

"We all think you're quite beautiful," Jade agreed matter-of-factly. "If you really like kisses, I'm sure you'll be able to get as many as you want."

Helene swooned into John's arms, hugging him tight. "Thank you so much!"

"I should be the one thanking you," John said, stroking her back. "That was an incredible kiss."

She blushed and shook her head, then paused as she tried to speak her thoughts. "Yes, the kiss was wonderful... I just meant thank you for letting me come with you."

John looked into her eyes and said earnestly. "If you stay with us, I'll take care of you and do my best to make sure you're happy, but your life is never going to be the same again. Now's your last chance to go back to your old life on Brimor, so think carefully before you make this decision."

"I already have," Helene said, sitting up straight and meeting his look of concern with one of absolute certainty. "I choose to stay here with you, John."

***

Deep Lord Athgiloi watched the oval map with steely black eyes, as the Invictus raced away from the Brimorian homeworld, heading directly towards the outer-edge of the Theta Columbae system. The white battlecruiser was travelling at a speed that left him and everyone in this command room reeling. Upon reaching the outskirts of the gravity well, the Invictus activated its FTL drive, leaping out of the system only a couple of seconds later. That came as a shock, but not nearly as much as seeing just how fast the white ship could travel in hyper-warp.

He'd been forewarned that the Invictus and John Blake were powerful, but the warning had been unnecessary, having already seen the footage of the man brutally exterminating Kirrix forces. Still it was different seeing such things with his own eyes, and what he'd witnessed that morning on the upper platform of Sequathis had left him shocked to the core. John hauling around multi-ton objects relying on raw strength alone had been astonishing, but not nearly as disturbing as the hovering girl performing what appeared to be magic before his bewildered eyes.

He felt a surge of relief as the Invictus rushed out of the sector and Athgiloi finally let himself relax. With a deep belly-laugh he turned around and strode out of the Command Room, the staff reacting to his mirth with amazement. He whistled a jaunty tune to himself as he walked back to his quarters, something he'd not done in over five decades. Yes, John Blake might be a powerful foe, but as he'd told the Deep Lords, there was no subtlety to the man. Manufacturing enough indignant outrage on the call had been easy enough, and he snorted with laughter at how thoroughly the vaunted Lion had been taken in by his ruse.

Entering his chambers, he smiled when Celphna bounded over to greet him, a look of reverence on her exquisitely scaled face. "This one longed for your return!" She paused and studied him for a moment, seeing his triumphant expression. "Were you successful with your plans, Master?"

"It all worked like a charm, just as I predicted," he replied with a smug grin, as he eased himself into his favourite chair.

Celphna knelt at his feet and rubbed her head affectionately against his thigh. "Master is so clever!"

He laughed with delight. "Why yes, I certainly am..." He grinned at her, loving the beaming toothy smile she gave him in return. "Why don't you tell me more about... me."

She fawned over him, planting soft kisses on his scaly hide. "Master is so powerful, so strong... there is no one like you in the entire galaxy!"

Athgiloi relaxed as he revelled in her adoration. Yes, this was turning out to be a morning he'd remember for a long time...

***

"So this is where we all normally sleep," John said, waving a hand towards the colossal four-poster bed, the quartet of crystal Alyssium pillars sparkling in the light. "Me and eight of the girls sleep on the bed... Faye keeps watch over us in the chair."

"It's so beautiful," Helene murmured, trailing her fingers over the brilliant-white bedcovers, amazed at the softness. She glanced at him, hope and longing in her eyes. "Can I really join you here tonight?"

He paused and watched her for a moment. The rest of the girls had given them some privacy for this conversation, but now he had Helene alone, John wasn't sure how to begin. "Helene... there's something really important I need to speak with you about."

She looked forlorn and said sadly, "If you've changed your mind about me being with you, I understand. I won't get upset... I promise."

"No, it's not that at all," John replied, frowning in frustration. He walked over to the bed and sat on the end, then patted a space beside him. "Please sit with me a moment, so we can talk."

Helene obediently followed his request, sitting next to him on the bed and watching him with big eyes. John could see how worried and unsettled she was, so he decided to put her mind at ease over her fear of rejection. He leaned in to give her a gentle kiss, then guided her back so that she was lying on the bed. Propping himself up on one elbow, he looked down at the pensive girl before kissing her again, but this time with meaning. She responded immediately, her arms encircling him as she tried to pull him across her lovely body.

He resisted and just focused on the kiss until she relaxed and enjoyed the experience, realising that he wasn't intending to go further at that moment. When he eventually pulled back to look at her again, her eyes had softened and she wore a look of blissful contentment on her face. She giggled when she realised he was watching her, and they shared an intimate smile.

"That one was to prove how attractive I think you are," John said, cupping her feminine heart-shaped face. "Alyssa was right earlier, I do want you, but there's something important we need to discuss first."

"I will listen, John," she told him earnestly.

John hesitated, unsure how to phrase this conversation in terms she would understand. "Earlier you talked about Alyssa and me being wizards and using magic. We actually call them psychic powers, and there's lots of things that we can do that are fantastic and hard to believe."

She gazed up at him in fascination and murmured, "Can you show me?"

He blinked in surprise, then nodded, raising his hand and turning it in front of her face. "Looks normal, right?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "You're so strong, but your touch is gentle and caring... I would never describe your hands as normal."

He laughed and shook his head. "That wasn't quite what I meant. Just watch for a moment, but no touching, okay?"

Focusing his will inwards, he concentrated on his hand, feeling the embers within him eager to be unleashed. Keeping a tight rein on that impulse, he let a mote of fire burst forth from his palm, the flames dancing and twisting like a living thing trying to run free.

Helene gasped, her eyes going even wider. "Your hands aren't normal at all!"

John briefly considered trying to make flame sprites with the dancing fire, but he knew he had nowhere near the same level of control as Tashana. Instead he extinguished the flame, then dropped the temperature far lower, until flakes of frost swirled around his fingertips.

"They're so pretty!" she gasped, watching in awe. "What are they?"

"Ice crystals... they form when water gets very cold." He smiled at her, then released his will, letting his hand return to normal. "It's safe to touch now," he explained, and let her examine his fingers until her curiosity was satisfied.

"I never for one moment thought I'd see real magic," she gushed, thoroughly enchanted by his impromptu performance.

"There's lots more I can do," John said, meeting her curious gaze. "But the most important abilities I have are connected to me having sex with a girl."

"You make sex magical?" she asked innocently.

He laughed when he saw the sparkle in her eyes. "You're not quite as innocent as you seem, are you?"

"Not quite," she admitted with a bloom of colour to her cheeks. "There were many times in the dorms, when I overheard the soft words that lovers share with each other."

"A girl with hidden depths... how intriguing," John said with a smile.

Helene blushed even harder and darted a glance at his hand. "Sorry, I interrupted you before."

John nodded, not wanting to embarrass her further. Bringing his fingertips to her slender throat, he stroked the velvety teal-coloured skin. "Most of my sex-related abilities revolve around a girl swallowing my cum."

He traced his fingers lower, leaving a trail of goosebumps as they followed the contours of her graceful neck, noting the closed indentations for her gills. Passing them by, he continued down across her chest and brushed between her breasts. His gentle exploration drew a startled gasp from Helene, her chest heaving as he traced a path between those deliciously soft mounds. Moving down to the oval of her abdomen, he caressed her gently, feeling the toned muscles of her athletic body. She was used to long days filled with hard labour and her lean well-muscled physique was a testimony to that work.

"If you were to swallow just once, I'd be able to heal your body," he said, his hand moving lower on her belly. "I could undo whatever damage was done to you and you'd be able to have children again."

She stared at him unblinking for a moment, then said in a hushed voice. "You really can do that, can't you?"

"Yes," he replied, his sincerity quite apparent. John let her think about that for a few minutes as she tried to accept that something she'd longed for with all her heart, for so many years, might actually be a possibility. When she didn't look quite so shocked, he stroked her tummy and continued, "Whatever happens between us, I promise that I'll heal you so that you can have children again."

Her eyes teared up and she looked overwhelmed with gratitude. "Thank you, so much!"

John smiled at her, then said quietly, "But you have other options too. Do you remember Rachel? The girl with the brown hair you met up in the Bridge?"

Helene nodded, her expression serious. "She's very beautiful... all your women are."

"Well Rachel could heal you too. If you choose her to help you instead, you don't have to be with me if you don't want to," he said quietly, gazing into her big blue eyes.

He saw the pain reflected there immediately as she took his words for a rejection. "I understand..." Helene whispered as she looked away.

John gently turned her face so that she was looking at him again. "No, you don't understand, not yet. I'm worried about you making the right choice for your future; there are side-effects and consequences if we're intimate together and I don't just mean the healing. If I feed you three times, I'll create a special link between you and Alyssa. You'll be connected to us permanently, just like all the rest of the girls on the crew are."

Helene studied him for a moment, then cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing lightly over his skin. "Why are you telling me this? I can see that it troubles you to talk about yourself and your... powers."

"I just want to be honest, so there are no surprises," John replied. "I want you to understand what it means to be with me before you make any decisions that will affect the rest of your life. I'm fighting a war against an extremely powerful enemy and by staying at my side, you'll be dragged into that battle too."

"Are you trying to scare me away because you don't want me?" she pressed, mesmerising him with her unblinking gaze.

He quickly shook his head. "Alyssa told you the truth earlier. I think you're a very beautiful woman, but I'm also trying to look out for your best interests and I don't want you to have any regrets."

She gazed into his eyes, then placed her hand on his chest, over his heart. "Are you a good person, John Blake of the Invictus?"

"I try very hard to be," he replied, his voice ringing with sincerity. "I'd never do anything to hurt you, nor would the girls."

Her face brightened with a lovely smile. "Then let us simply see what the future holds for us. No more explanations or careful warnings; Jade promised me an adventure... I long for surprises and to experience new things!"

"Are you sure?" John asked, startled by her reaction.

She nodded eagerly. "Everything is so new and exciting! I never thought life could be like this!"

He chuckled and shook his head in amusement. "You're going to be in for a wild ride. Let me know if you ever want to get off!"

Helene nodded, her expression serious. "I long for a wild ride and I'll make sure to tell you when I need to get off."

John caught that same sparkle in her eyes and she giggled when he broke into a smile. "Don't worry about that, I'll make sure you're very well taken care of."

She blushed, suddenly unsure of herself, and John realised that despite her flirtatious innuendos, she was still an inexperienced young woman. He leaned down to give her a gentle kiss, simply to defuse the situation rather than escalate to anything more. Helene responded, the tension flowing out of her as she melted into his arms.

"He's very good at that, isn't he?" Alyssa asked, her voice carrying a playful lilt.

John finished the kiss and slowly pulled away so they could turn and look at Alyssa as she climbed onto the bed with them. Helene nodded, her eyes bright and happy as she greeted the blonde with a radiant smile. That smile wavered and her eyes flashed between John and Alyssa, that same doubt in her expression again.

"A-are you sure you don't mind me kissing him?" she asked, giving voice to her insecurities.

Alyssa gave her a warm smile and shook her head. "No, I don't mind one bit. Actually, I'd really like a kiss too if you're handing them out?"

Helene's breath caught and her eyes widened as she gazed up at Alyssa. "But you're a girl! Are you sure?"

The blonde's smile widened and she leaned down to take over from where John had left off, her lips soft and gentle against Helene's flushed ones. John admired the view, just as he did whenever two of his girls were affectionate with each other. That thought caught him by surprise and he was amazed how quickly he'd shifted into thinking of this refreshing young woman as part of his family.

Alyssa pulled back and caught the look he gave her, nodding slightly to confirm she'd heard his thoughts. She turned her focus back to the girl lying between them, admiring her look of bliss with no small sense of satisfaction. "It's very different kissing a girl, isn't it?"

Helene licked her lips and nodded, then let out a soft sigh. "That was wonderful..."

"It was a lovely kiss for me too," Alyssa said, her voice kind and loving. "You made me think of a serene, peaceful ocean that could quickly become wild and untamed..."

The aquatic girl blushed furiously, but her embarrassment quickly receded when she realised that the blonde wasn't teasing her and was absolutely sincere. "I never realised that there were people like you and John," she said softly, looking at her bedmates in turn. "You've been truthful all along, haven't you? You really do like me..."

Alyssa darted a glance at John, before gazing into Helene's eyes. "You're very different from the other girls we've rescued. I can see how lacking in confidence you are, so I'm going to be completely honest with you." She brushed her hand over Helene's toned tummy. "I think you're a lovely, beautiful girl, and I want you to be happy here with us. I hope that you and John will become lovers, and I'd love for you to become the mother of his children, just like the rest of the girls on this ship are going to be."

John gaped at the blonde in shock. *You can't just drop all that on the poor girl! We only met her an hour ago!*

Alyssa met his stunned gaze, then her eyes looked pointedly at the teal-skinned beauty lying between them. John turned back to look at Helene, expecting her to be in a state of panic, but the expression on her face was enchanting. Her eyes were filled with hope, the self-doubt fading away as she looked at him in wonder.

*Helene's from a dramatically different culture to us,* Alyssa reminded him gently. *You can't just think of her as a different-coloured Terran girl. The Abandoned women long for and expect to be bred repeatedly as soon as they become adults, but Helene's had to live with rejection for seven long years, thinking that she's a failure as a woman because she can't have children. I'm not saying to rush into anything, but with a bit of luck I've helped take some of that anxiety away.*

John paused for a moment, thinking about what Alyssa had just told him. He joined the blonde in placing a hand on Helene's trim tummy. "We'll take things at whatever pace you feel comfortable with, but I'd love that future with you too."

Her eyes welled up and she flung her arms around him, overcome with her emotions. John held her as she wept against his chest, then glanced at Alyssa with concern.

*Happy tears...* she confirmed for him, as she snuggled up behind the overwhelmed young woman.

The three of them lay quietly together, John and Alyssa providing soothing reassurance to the shocked girl between them.

Helene eventually gathered herself and wiped away her tears, looking more than a little embarrassed by her outburst. "I've not cried this much in... well, in a very long time," she said with a self-conscious smile.

"We've given you an awful lot to think about," John said, stroking her arm. "I meant what I said though, about taking things at a comfortable pace; I really don't want you to rush into anything you don't feel ready for. The most important thing is that you're happy, okay?"

She nodded, looking at him with big eyes. "Are you trying to make me cry again?"

He laughed and shook his head. "Definitely not! Happy tears aren't so bad, but I really don't like hearing a woman get upset."

"The girls are making lunch at the moment," Alyssa said, tilting her head to one side. "Would you like to meet everyone?"

Helene looked uncertain at first, then nodded decisively. "Yes please. I'd like to get to know all your friends."

Alyssa rose from the bed and offered their slightly flustered guest a hand. "Let's get you freshened up, then we'll go say hello. The girls are so excited to meet you!"

John watched them leave, shaking his head at the lightning fast pace of the relationship developing with Helene. Despite everything he'd said to Alyssa before meeting the girl in his Ready Room, he'd basically committed to starting a family with the exotic beauty. He lay back on the bed, pausing for a moment to think about it more carefully. It didn't take long for him to realise that while they'd allayed Helene's fears by setting her expectations, it wasn't remotely the same thing as them actually rushing headlong into making a baby.

Relaxing a little now, he decided to try and encourage Helene to take things slowly, giving her a chance to change her mind before she committed to anything permanent. A new girl joining them raised the worrying problem of another nightmare with the astral monsters, which he'd hoped he wouldn't have to deal with for at least a few more weeks. The thought of being plunged into another dreadful battle on the Astral Plane was a sobering one, and he realised he'd have to start making preparations for that sooner rather than later. It was an issue he'd only expected to crop up if Jehanna decided to join him, but with everything else going on recently, it wasn't something he'd been treating as a high priority. He sighed as he realised that would have to change.